052616 - Judgement Passed
CAT: Aaisha is still sleeping leaned up against Lorrea, the crown an obvious new adornment to her head. CAT: Lorrea supports Aaisha's weight, her gaze slowly moving about the cavern. She glances at her phone by her side, occasionally. CURRENT aproposProphetiae CAP RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CAP: He steps out of his quartz teepee with a yawn, pulling on his jacket as he pulls it out of the doorway. He looks around, spotting his matesprit and ex moirail. CAP: "Lorrea, you know what your matesprit wants with me now? Aside from dead." CAT: "At a guess, lliterrallly nothing." CAP: "That's what I thought, before they wanted custody of me." CAT: Lorrea rolls her eyes. CAT: "I'm not surre that want is entirrellly accurrate." CAP: "Well if only it were worded more clearly. Or you know,actually to me." CURRENT amoralAriadne CAA RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CAA: "Yes, it's more of, 'was obligated to' CAA: Ari is feeling particularly feminine today, and leans her head on Lorrea's shoulder. "Whatcha talkin' about?" CAT: "You, actuallly." CAP: He seems surprised for a moment before schooling his features back to neutrality. "I was wondering what your plan for me was." CAA: "In what sense?" Ari bats her eyelashes at Lorrea. "You look lovely today." CAT: Lorrea exhales, shifting her shoulders slightly. "Thank you." One hand prods Aaisha's side. CAT: Aaisha shifts in her sleep, frowning and starkly refuses to wake up. You can't make her come back to headache land. CAP: He moves a hand to his hip, sighing. CAA: "I asked you a question, Nyarla." CAP: "I can't answer that." CAA: "Then neither can I." CAT: "What arre you even trrying to ask, Nyarrlla." CAP: "Can you answer why you want custody of me?" CAT: "With those horrns, I woulld think fewerr things woulld so easilly pass overrr yourr head." CAA: "As I said, I didn't 'want' custody of you. I was obligated to take custody. A solution was found where I didn't have to." CAP: "Why are you obligated to?" CAA: "Because I have a contract with you. Otherwise, I'd have let the Oracle go with her first instinct, which was to kill you, scratch the session, and get a more competent time player." CAT: "... That was herr FIRRST instinct?" CAA: Ari laugsh apologetically. "She is a bit irritated with him." CAP: "What's up with her lately?" CAT: "Herr bllood prressurre, with you arround." CAP: He rolls his eyes at the peanut gallery. CAT: "I reallly wish I thought I werre wrrong." CAT: "But then, I don't, because that woullld be ridiculllous." CAA: "She doesn't have the easiest time dealing with the other Horror Terrors, especially with my brother demanding one of her handmaidens." CAP: "I'm sorry that's going on. But is she taking it out on me?" CAA: "Yes." Ari seems unpurturbed. CAP: "I don't suppose your brother can be convinced to back off?" CAT: Lorrea raises an eyebrow, slightly. CAA: "No." CAP: "Right then." CAP: He sighs. CAT: Aaisha stirs again, blinking her eyes blearily open. Talking is not great for staying asleep. "...i hear voices." CAP: "I'll be in my teepee then." And to the teepee he goes. CAT: Lorrea shifts her gaze towards Ari, tilting her head. "I harrdlly expected to see you so soon. Has something changed?" CAA: "Not really. I just missed you." CAT: "Oh." Lorrea glances, briefly, at the stirring Aaisha, before looking back to Ari. "Welll, it's good to see you." CAA: Ari beams. CAA: "How is she?" CAT: "By alll indications, wellll." CAT: Lorrea's voice is slightly lowered. CAT: "...was nyarla just here?" she starts to sit up, gently feeling the crown again. "Ari..?" CAT: "He was." CAA: "Greetings, Your Imperial Kindness." CAT: "mmm.. You don't have to call me that.." her hand drops and she squints. "Well the headaches gone. Could you hear them all Ari?" CAA: "Yes. But I'm used to tuning them out." CAA: "You'll learn to as well. It just takes time." CAT: "Used to it? You mean you've here them before?" her eyes open and she sits straighter as she comes fully awake. CAT: Lorrea glances between Ari and Aaisha, listening. CAT: "It's harrdlly unrreasonablle." CAA: "Not them specifically, Aaisha. Just voices. Constantly talking." CAT: "Oh.. That would make sense," she looks down to her hands, studying them before glancing at Lorrea. "If I can block out Gl'bgolyb I should be able to block them out okay.." CAA: "But do you want to?" CAT: "Mmm, not really. But it'd be nice to block out the kinks." CAT: "Of alll the things to have the biggest issue with." CAT: "Lorrea there is apparently an entire group of Empresses who had rails with pails kinks. I do not need that in my life considering past history also." CAT: "Noted." CAT: "It just seems llike a sillly grrievance, on the llarrgerr scalle, is alll." CAT: "Mm, I would have to say this is one of the better kept secrets of Alternian Empresses," she grimaces. "That's terrifying. Heiresses weren't just fighting one Empress.." CAT: "It may not necessarrillly have alllways been a bllessing, though?" CAT: Aaisha shakes her head, "No, honestly I hadn't thought of it as a blessing. It's a double-edged sword, one you can't escape from." Her lips quirk in a smile. "Unless you have two bodies." CAT: "Escaping frrom sworrds is supposed to be the concerrn of yourr enemies." CAA: "From what I understand, the Empresses are fighting to prove themselves better than the current empress." CAA: "And so a young, new empress, must show that she is a better, stronger choice, than the one currently in power." CAT: "Mmm.." Aaisha leans back against the quartz. "So are they just watchers? Or could they take my body as well?" CAT: "..Does Laynne still consider herself in power?" Aaisha frowns. "That is also generally why you don't use double-edged swords honestly." CAA: "They will not take your body. Part of the crown's purpose is to read your personality, and record it, and store it with the others. Laynne will be dormant until the crown is done 'processing' her." CAA: "If the empresses truly, unanimously, felt you were unworthy, then the crown would kill you, and attach to the next person who picked it up." Ari glances out of the corner of her eye at Lorrea. CAT: "Can't wait for her to wake up.." she mutters, there's the sound of something like "fashion advice i don't need" being grumbled. "So pick it up with tongs is what you're saying, if this body dies." CAT: "You coulld handlle it safelly beforre." CAA: "You will be fine, Aaisha. Most of the Empresses like you. The few that don't are not a problem. Most of them agree the most important thing right now is ensuring the survival of your species." CAT: "What allterrnative to that coulld therre be? Vengeance on the thing that destrroyed Allterrnia?" CAT: "We need a new universe first before we can focus on the species survival... though this giant fucking mothergrub is a great contribution." She sounds a little put out. CAA: "They intend to see your species' survival through the game, as well. I wouldn't count them as useless yet, Aaisha." CAT: "Sorry, I wasn't. I wasn't considering them useless, everything is just.. finally. Frustrating," Aaisha sighs, looking at Lorrea with a raised eyebrow, "Haven't you already sworn vengeance on like, three people already?" CAT: "Not exactlly. It's lless swearring vengeance and morre making a prromise of enforrcing due consequences." CAT: Lorrea shrugs her shoulders, slightly. CAA: "You should start with your moirail's matesprit." CAT: "I know." CAA: "Don't you need him in a shot glass anyway?" CAT: "Yes." CAT: "He doesn't have llong, at this rate." CAT: "But perrhaps that willl change." Lorrea peers Aaisha-wards. CAT: Aaisha frowns. "I'm supposed to reform him." CAT: "You coulld allways find a consorrt that woullldn't activelly trry to underrmine you." CAT: "He's not... trying to undermine me?" Aaisha shrugs. CAT: "Not at the moment. Maybe he actuallly has llearrnt something." CAA: "I could recommend some consorts who would be happy to be obedient." CAT: "He hasn't.. ever tried? There was the time with the Deal I guess.." she looks to Ari, "I don't want to leave him." CAA: "You may not want to... but do you need to? For your sake? For the sake of your people? CAA: " CAT: "Aaisha, it's even in how he tallks to you. LListen forr it." CAT: Her intake of breath is quick and sharp. "He hasn't hurt me, not. On purpose and he's trying... How does he talk to me?" Her voice shakes a little, but there's force behind it. CAA: Ari swallows, and looks to Lorrea, then Aaisha. "I do not want to interfere, and this is something that should come from her moirail." CAA: She stands, gives Aaisha a respectful bow, and kisses the top of Lorrea's head. "I will leave you to it. If you need me, I'll be over there." She points to a nearby rock formation. CAT: Lorrea nods. "Of courrse," CAA: Ari wanders off. CAT: Lorrea takes a breath, looking down for a moment. "Do you want to hearr this, Aaisha? Arre you surrre that you want these things brrought forrwards?" CAT: She's confused as Ari walks off, watching the terror before her gaze turns to Lorrea. "What? He's made mistakes, but he's trying Lorrea. What things?" CAT: "This isn't about his mistakes. This isn't about how he's sat on the edge of ruining everrything, time and time again, and acted as though he was onlly doing the right thing. This is about the fact that he fundamentallly can't comprrehend the impact that this has on everryone ellse." CAT: "He lleaves this swathe behind him, and he neverr stops to considerrr that maybe we're allll trrying to hellp him." CAT: "He's incapablle of respect." CAT: "Fearrr, surre. He can do fearrr. But not respect." CAT: "... And romance without respect is nothing." CAT: "Well he..." she's picking at her skirt again, "...he was angry with Lorcan.. originally. That was the only other solution.. He respects me." A hand is up and tugging at her bangs. CAT: "Does he?" CAT: "...Yes?" her fingers curl on her thighs, she can't help but glance over to Ari. CAT: "His bllood is coballlt, and he's alllways prrided himsellf on being abllle to tallk peoplle out of theirrr money. How much of that respect do you think he could be faking?" CAT: "I've known him forr sweeps, Aaisha." CAT: "He wouldn't lie to me." CAT: "He can prroject things that arren't trrue without llying." CAT: "The choice is yourrs, Aaisha." CAT: "It allways has been." CAT: "...That doesn't make sense though. The projecting, I know the choice has always been mine but I can't. Leave him." CAT: "Think back, Aaisha. Think to alll of the things that he's said, and then think to what he's done. Make yourr own judgement, and I willl respect it." CAT: It's a real miracle that her dress hasn't been ripped. "I said I trust him but I.. I don't. I trust he means well but he doesn't. He's not trying to work with you when he says he is. That argument wasn't just you he was goading you too..." CAT: Lorrea reaches out, to set a hand on Aaisha's shoulder, very lightly. CAT: "You have time. You can think on it." CAT: "And regarrdlless of yourr choice, I'llll be herre forr you." CAT: "Okay?" CAT: Aaisha takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out, nodding, "Okay. Lorrea.. he'll think I betrayed him. It's.. it's like he doesn't even see you all." CAT: She's a little teary-eyed. CAA: Ari glances over at Lorrea and Aaisha, her face shadowed with Concern. CAT: "We can tallk to LLorrcan, firrst? She may be ablle to keep him in lline, even if I need to hellp him allong to slleep." CAT: "Do as you willl, and I'lll do everrything that I can to hellp." CAT: "She's six sweeps Lorrea," her voice is quiet, almost a whisper, "He's already upset she's even talking to you. What is his /problem/ with you." She's openly frustrated now, a few tears escaping. CAT: "Thank you, I just. Want to shake him... right now. This wasn't a thing before." CAT: Lorrea moves to pull Aaisha into a hug. It isn't a very strong pull, but it's there. CAT: Aaisha doesn't resist, returning the hug quickly. CAT: "If nothing ellse, this shoullld give him reason to betterr himsellf." CAT: "He always blames it on you and I'm tired... I'm tired of it. Of his self-sacrificing, and wallowing when things don't work. What? If I... take a break?" CAT: "We'llll see how things go frrom herre." CAT: A sigh. "Okay.. I think he'll.. go the opposite though..." She buries her face into Lorrea's shoulder. "Sorry for. Interuppting time with your matesprit." CAT: "This had to happen, don't apolllogize. Don't worrry about him." CAT: "The way willl be found." CAT: "Okay, I. What'll we do if.. oh. Later." CAT: Lorrea tilts her head. CAT: She shakes her head. "Don't worry about it.. we'll. See what happens." CAT: "We willl. I'llll be keeping an eye on him, in the meantime, though." CAT: "I hope Lorcan will be okay.." CAT: "I'm surre that she can handlle him." CAT: "..mmm.." Category:Aaisha Category:Lorrea Category:Nyarla Category:Ariadne